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Ethical Practices
Metal Acquisition
It’s unfortunate that the precious metals industry is so awful when it comes to ethics and environmental impact, and it means finding sustainably sourced metals can be a real challenge. Sterling silver can be sketchy, because it can be produced by anyone, anywhere. Argentium silver, on the other hand, is produced by Argentium Company. Argentium Company produces their alloy from 100% sustainably sourced, 100% recycled silver.
On top of this, my manufacturer Palloys is the only casting company in Australia willing to be subject to yearly investigations by the Conflict Metals group. This ensures that Palloys is fully compliant with the LBMA (London Bullion Market Association), OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and World Gold Council Conflict Gold Policies. All precious metals issued by Palloys is sourced in a way that does not cause, support or benefit unlawful conflict, or contribute to human rights abuses or breaches of international law. Furthermore, Palloys is certified by the RJC (Responsible jewellery council).
Certification by the LMBA is not only a mark of sustainability, but also of strict quality control. Only 45 entities globally are certified, Palloys is the first and only Australian company to be certified.
Since Palloys is supplied by ABC Refinery exclusively, they’re able to claim the most transparent supply chain in the industry and the largest zero emission refinery in the world. Due to an exclusively Australian supply chain, all metals can be traced back to Australian mines, one of the most regulated precious metal sources in the world. Today, ABC Refinery is the benchmark in Australian precious metal processing, employing aqua regia, electrolytic, chlorination and acid-less separation (ALS) refining methodologies. A unique refining process that utilises no hazardous chemicals, relying solely on heat and pressure to purify gold and silver. ABC Refinery is committed to refining Green Gold. ABC Refinery is the only refinery in Australia that has implemented this refining technology.
You can read the 2022 ABC Refinery & Palloys Sustainability Report here.
Labour
When sourcing suppliers for Urban Sterling, I legitimately had to search for a while to find “slavery free” companies. Both in terms of manufacturing and also the mining and refining of metals. Argentium Company has 100% certified slavery free supply chains, and unfortunately this is considered pretty impressive as far as international precious metals companies go.
ABC Refinery sources and refines all my metals. As a 100% Australian sourced supplier, ABC Refinery is subject to strict Australian labour regulations. So is Palloys who handles the rest of the refining and casting process. You can read the ABC Refinery & Palloys Modern Slavery Statement here.
When looking for workers, I make sure to outsource nothing overseas. 100% of labour and manufacturing is done within Australia, including less obvious things like marketing, content production, and printing. Because Urban Sterling customers are 99% Australian, I feel its only fair to ensure that all expenses I make go back into the local economy. The only exception to this are the boxes I use in my packaging. They’re all from Denmark and 100% FSC certified. Oddly enough it’s very difficult to find good premium jewellery box suppliers within Australia.
Shipping
I used to use Sendle, because they were the only carbon-neutral delivery service within Australia. However, deliveries were a bit slow and inconsistent, so when Australia Post finally sorted out their own version of carbon neutral delivery, I switched over.
Australia Post has been delivering parcels carbon-neutral since 2020, significantly reducing environmental impact. Here’s how it works:
Carbon Neutral Delivery:
Over 200 million parcels have been sent carbon-neutral, equivalent to removing 117,000 cars from the roads.
What is Carbon Neutral?
This approach aims to balance out the carbon dioxide emissions from parcel delivery. This is achieved by reducing emissions wherever possible and investing in carbon offset projects.
Carbon Offsetting with Qantas Future Planet:
The carbon used in the delivery process (via trains, planes, and trucks) is calculated and verified through the Climate Active program. To offset these emissions, Australia Post purchases carbon credits in partnership with Qantas Future Planet, matching the emissions from deliveries.
Interested in getting some Argentium silver jewellery? Shop my range of Australian made handcrafted rings.